Plea bargain for the shipwreck of the fishing vessel Alemax II in August 2023, which led to the death of a Senegalese sailor, Mande' Diome, 41, on the Olbia-Livorno route.
The fishing boat sank off Capo Figari after being hit by the Tirrenia ferry Sharden.
Three defendants are charged with various counts of shipwreck, manslaughter, and failure to provide assistance.
The captain of the ferry Luigi Coppola (10 months), the second officer Mimmo Ceserale (one year and 10 months) and the pilot Giacomo Mereu (one year and 10 months) pleaded guilty before the investigating judge Marcella Pinna of Tempio.
In addition to the killed sailor and his family, the captain of the rammed fishing vessel, Mario Langiu, miraculously survived . A 28-year-old from Golfo Aranci, he was thrown into the water but escaped the collision unharmed. He managed to grab onto a floating piece of his vessel and detonated a flare, allowing him to be immediately located. He was rescued by a sailing boat.
Neither the family of the slain sailor nor Langiu have been entitled to any compensation so far because the plea bargain being negotiated by the preliminary investigations judge does not allow civil parties to join.
Lawyer Michele Pilia stated: "We will now evaluate any further action, but this outcome is unacceptable. A man has died; my client's life has been destroyed."